Sanwo-Olu Orders LAWMA MD To Resign Over Lagos Waste Crisis

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reportedly asked Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, managing director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), to resign over the accumulation of refuse across the metropolis.

According to reports, Sanwo-Olu is dissatisfied with Gbadegeshin’s handling of the waste crisis, particularly delays in evacuating refuse and the alleged failure to implement his directives promptly.

The report said the governor’s concerns followed a visit to the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago. Sanwo-Olu reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with conditions at the site and directed that urgent action be taken.

The waste crisis has worsened in recent months, with refuse piling up on road medians and in residential areas across Lagos.

In some communities, rubbish has remained uncollected for weeks, accumulating around drainage channels and raising concerns about sanitation and public health.

Residents have complained about delays in waste collection. Trucks operated by private sector participants (PSPs) sometimes take days or weeks to return to clear refuse.

The delays have left some communities dealing with overflowing rubbish, offensive odours and dirty streets.

The problem has been linked partly to difficulties at the Olusosun dumpsite, one of Lagos’ major waste disposal facilities.

Waste collection operators have complained about long queues, damaged access roads and delays in unloading refuse. Some truck drivers reportedly spend several days at the facility before they can discharge their loads.

These delays prevent trucks from returning to neighbourhoods quickly enough to collect more waste, worsening the backlog across the state.

The Lagos State Government has also acknowledged the challenges facing waste evacuation.

In September, Sanwo-Olu declared a “small state of emergency” on waste management after inspecting the Olusosun dumpsite.

He announced plans to increase the number of trucks able to offload refuse at the site, deploy additional equipment and reactivate other disposal facilities to reduce pressure on Olusosun.

Sanwo-Olu also said the government had ordered 160 new compactor trucks to strengthen waste collection across the state.